Belk Boosting HQ Headcount 10%

Belk is boosting employment at its Charlotte headquarters by about 10 percent thanks to the popularity of online shopping.

The 150 jobs Belk plans to add at its corporate headquarters are "management-level" and focused mainly on e-commerce, says spokeswoman Jessica Graham.

"Our online site, Belk.com has been growing tremendously - it's the fastest growing area of our business right now," says Graham.

Belk reported e-commerce sales grew by 70 percent in the third quarter. These new jobs added over the next year will bring Belk's headquarters headcount to more than 1,100.

To accommodate the growth, Belk is taking over 50,000 square feet of space adjacent to its current offices in west Charlotte. Earlier this year, Belk opened a new e-commerce-fulfillment center in Union County, South Carolina that will ultimately employ more than 120 people.

"We've been pretty aggressively investing in different areas of our company to ensure our growth in the future - most of that investment has focused on technology," says Graham.

The Charlotte Chamber says more than 400 retail companies have relocated or expanded in the region this year, creating about 2,200 jobs. Chamber figures show Belk as the fourth largest retail employer headquartered in the region – after Lowe's, Harris Teeter and Family Dollar.